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SHSU Update For Week Of Nov. 13
- Jim Olson To Address ‘Ethics Of Espionage’
- Final Journeys Lecture To Focus On Leadership Legacy
- Biology Seminar To Focus On Importance Of Cilia
- Center To Provide Cost-Effective Holiday Shopping Tips
- Campus To Open For Potential Students
- Concerts To Feature Houston Musicians
- Student Concerts To Play Out Fall Semester
- Poli Sci Prof Recognized For Research
- Council Walks, Raises Funds For Autism
- Submit Update Items Here
Jim Olson To Address ‘Ethics Of Espionage’
Very few Americans approve of public officials accepting bribes, a postal worker rifling through people’s mail looking for items of value, or blackmail. But what if you work for the CIA, where bribery, snooping, and blackmail may be done in the public interest? What kind of actions should intelligence agencies be permitted in defense of national security?
These questions and others will be addressed on Thursday (Nov. 17), when Sam Houston State University’s Junior Fellows bring Texas A&M professor Jim Olson to campus to discuss the “Ethics of Espionage.”
The presentation, the final of the three-part “Speaking of Ethics—2011 Speaker Series on Ethics and Social Responsibility” conceived of by management and marketing professor John Newbold, will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Smith-Hutson Building’s Mafrige Auditorium.
Olson, who served in the CIA for 25 years, including as chief of counterintelligence, is particularly well suited to address the moral dilemmas of spying, according to Junior Fellows co-president Christian Bionat.
Olson drew on his strong language skills while stationed in Germany, Mexico, and the USSR, working mostly on clandestine activities targeting the “Soviet KGB, terrorists, narcotics traffickers, nuclear proliferators, North Korea, Iran, Libya, [and] Cuba.”
He is also the author of “Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying,” a book former Secretary of Defense (and CIA Director) Robert Gates called “a must read.”
The book addresses real-life ethical dilemmas of a CIA agent, viewing them from the perspective of various philosophical lenses. In all, he presents 50 scenarios, ranging from the ethics of blackmailing an individual for his sexual orientation, to using animals as suicide assassins, to procuring drugs for informants.
The “Ethics” series was conceived to promote ethical decision-making to students during a time when headlines decrying the nation’s public ethics—from cheating in college to shady corporate business deals, according to Newbold.
The series is also sponsored by the College of Business Administration, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Career Services, Student Services, and Phi Sigma Pi Honors Fraternity, as well as professors Juliana Lilly and Mike Yawn.
The one-hour lecture is open to the public.
Following the event, Olson will meet SHSU’s own Jim Olson, Distinguished Professor of history, and the two will exchange autographed books.
For more information, contact Yawn, Junior Fellows adviser, at 936.294.1456 or Bionat at 832.228.5239.
Final Journeys Lecture To Focus On Leadership Legacy
Randy Garner, professor of behavioral sciences and former associate dean in SHSU’s College of Criminal Justice, will share “Traits and Characteristics of Great Leaders” on Monday (Nov. 14).
The Honors 3332 Journeys Seminar presentation will begin at 4 p.m. in Smith-Hutson Building Room 186.
Garner’s discussion will focus on “the twists, turns, and transitions in my own life that have led me to where I am today,” he said.
“One never knows what doors will open when others are closed and how these transitions impact who we become,” Garner said. “I will talk about some of the life lessons that I have learned both as a leader and as one who has studied leadership for many years. We will explore some of the traits and characteristics of those leaders who leave a lasting, positive legacy.”
Garner holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology, with specialization in the area of social psychology, and a doctoral minor in organizational behavior and management. Additionally, Garner has a second doctorate in theology and religious studies.
He has received numerous academic awards and honors including the “Excellence in Educational Instruction” award in 2006, the University of Houston’s Distinguished Alumni Award and the Social Psychologist in Texas award in 2004.
Garner has authored numerous books and professional publications with particular emphasis in the areas of social influence, persuasion, and leadership.
His books “Criticism Management and Constructing Effective Criticism: How to Give, Receive” and “Seek Productive and Constructive Criticism in Our Lives” have been adopted by command colleges, leadership courses, and communication programs across the country.
Prior to moving into academia, Garner dedicated 30 years to law enforcement service and has worked in all divisions and levels of command.
The public lecture, sponsored by the Elliott T. Bowers Honors College, is part of a new class designed to show students what characteristics lead to success.
For more information, contact instructor Patrick Lewis at 936.294.3397.
Biology Seminar To Focus On Importance Of Cilia
Win Sale, professor of cell biology at Emory University, will discuss “The Indispensable Cilium: Regulation of Assembly and Function” on Thursday (Nov. 17).
The Biological Sciences Department Seminar Series presentation will begin at 4 p.m. in Lee Drain Building Room 214.
“Cilia are essential organelles that perform motile and sensory/signaling roles important for human development and normal function of nearly every cell and organ,” Sale said. “I will describe new studies on the assembly of the molecular motors called ‘dyneins’ that are required to power ciliary movement.”
In the last decade, researchers have experienced a revolution in the understanding of cilium, also called the flagellum in the sperm cell, according to Sale.
“Cilia play both motile roles and non-motile, cell signaling roles (the "primary" or sensory cilium) vital to human development and function of most organs,” Sale said. “As a consequence, failure in assembly of cilia can lead to a wide range of diseases including abnormal left-right pattern formation resulting in failure in normal development of the heart or nervous system, ‘primary cilia dyskinesia’ and consequent problems of infection of the airway, male infertility or hydrocephaly, polycystic kidney disease, retinal degeneration and many more.
“The challenge is to determine molecular mechanisms of assembly of cilia,” he said.
Sale, who also currently serves as interim chair of Emory’s department of cell biology, has taught at the university since 1991.
He earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. He was also a Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Hawaii and the California Institute of Technology.
Sale’s lecture is open to the public.
For more information, contact Madhu Choudhary, assistant professor of biological sciences, at 936.294.4850.
Center To Provide Cost-Effective Holiday Shopping Tips
The Student Money Management Center will present effective ways to handle "Holiday Spending on a Merry Little Budget" on Tuesday (Nov. 15).
The workshop will be from 3:30-4:20 p.m. in Lowman Student Center Room 315.
Led by SMMC peer counselor Jessica Correll, the workshop will show students how to plan and budget for the season of giving, offering tips for shopping on Black Friday and how to put together an inexpensive gift.
Correll, a graduating senior majoring in business, also will address statistical facts about overspending during the holiday season, ways to plan spending trips, and how to be prepared for any unexpected costs.
“We will also discuss some ways students can cut costs during the season,” said peer counselor Erik Johnson. “Our goal, as with most of our workshops, is to have our students leave the workshop with a better understanding and appreciation of personal finances.
“It is important for students to remember that the holiday season is not all about expensive gifts, and we try to remind them of the real reason for the season,” he said.
Snacks will be served.
For more information, contact the Student Money Management Center at 936.294.2600 or smmc@shsu.edu.
Campus To Open For Potential Students
Prospective students and parents will have the opportunity to visit the Sam Houston State University campus to see what the university has to offer on Saturday (Nov. 19).
Saturdays@Sam, sponsored by the SHSU Visitor Center, will begin with check-in and a parent coffee from 8-9 a.m. in the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum, followed by a 30-minute opening session at 9 a.m. Groups can check in at 8 a.m. by the flag pole outside of Johnson Coliseum.
Throughout the day, students and their parents can meet with academic advisers at the university’s Student Advising and Mentoring Center and SHSU faculty members, have academic sessions with colleges of potential majors, visit the Go Kats Go Center and apply online for free, tour residence halls and the campus, attend an organizations fair, and get information from various departments on campus.
Lunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Old Main Market and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Paw Print.
Einstein Bros. Bagels, on the second floor of the Lowman Student Center, will also serve breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The next Saturdays@Sam will be held on March 31.
Registration forms, online registration, directions to the university and more information is available online at http://www.shsu.edu/~visitor/saturday.html.
For more information on Saturdays@Sam, call 936.294.1844 or e-mail visitsam@shsu.edu.
Concerts To Feature Houston Musicians
Musicians from the University of Houston, the Houston Masterworks Chorus and the Houston Symphony will come to campus to perform three concerts on Nov. 16, Nov. 20 and Nov. 22.
The University of Houston’s AURA Contemporary Music Ensemble will present the world premiere of a work by HyeKyung Lee on Wednesday (Nov. 16) at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
Directed by Rob Smith, professor of music composition at the University of Houston, the group will also play a masterpiece by the great 20th century composer Igor Stravinsky and pieces by the American composer John Luther Adams and David Dzubay.
The musical performance will be accompanied by a new video art piece, according to Brian Herrington, SHSU music theory and composition professor.
On Sunday (Nov. 20), the Houston Masterworks Chorus will honor one of the most renowned composers of the 20th century, Benjamin Britten, for the performance, beginning at 4 p.m. in the PAC Concert Hall.
"Great Britten," conducted by the recently appointed music director Thomas Jaber, will include: “Festival Te Deum,” “Hymn to St. Cecilia,” “Rejoice in the Lamb,” and movements from “Five Flower Songs” and “Choral Dances” from the Britten opera “Gloriana.”
The chorus will be joined by the distinguished concert organist Joby Bell, who also will perform a solo organ work by Britten, and a piece by Britten's teacher and mentor, English composer Frank Bridge.
The Masterworks Chorus will perform an encore of “Great Britten!" on Nov. 22 at Houston’s First Presbyterian Church.
The SHSU concert is free to the public.
The Houston Masterworks Chorus is a community arts organization dedicated to the presentation of great choral music and to the continuation of the choral society tradition.
The following Tuesday (Nov. 22), SHSU assistant professor of piano Ilonka Rus will join four members of the Houston Symphony for a concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Concert Hall.
The Guest Artist Series Chamber Music Concert will feature pieces based on dances representative of Colombia and Argentina, performed by the Houston Symphony’s first and second violins Rodica Oancea Gonzalez and Mihaela Oancea Gonzalez, respectively, as well as violist Wei Jiang and cellist Jeff Butler.
“We will be performing South American music by Colombian composer Juan Domingo Cordoba and Argentinian composer Astor Piazolla,” Rus said. “The trio by Juan Domingo Cordoba is going to be a world premiere.”
Tickets are $17 for general admission and $14 for senior citizens and SHSU students. They can be purchased or reserved in advance by contacting the PAC Box Office at 936.294.2339 or tickets@shsu.edu.
For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.
Student Concerts To Play Out Fall Semester
The School of Music will present the final concerts of the semester for student vocalists, as well as horn, jazz and faculty musicians beginning on Monday (Nov. 14).
The Horn Studio Recital will kick off the week’s performances at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
The event, part of the horn course requirements for a degree in music, will feature student solos, accompanied by the piano, of pieces ranging from Baroque through the 20th century.
At 8:30 p.m. that evening, the SHSU Horn Choir will present a concert of music for Hunting Horns, including “Hansel and Gretel” and works by Johann Sebastian Bach and William Mayer.
“A hunting horn is a 12-foot coiled horn used while riding on horseback to call to the hunters,” said Peggy DeMers, professor of horn. “The students will perform the piece while standing along the outside wall of the Recital Hall, traditional opening fanfare style.”
On Tuesday (Nov. 15) the Faculty Brass Recital will showcase a varied program of music by living female composer Gwyneth Walker, as well as Shaker tunes, Renaissance and 20th century music, at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Recital Hall.
Admission is free to all three.
On Thursday (Nov. 17), the Voice Studio Recital, featuring 18 of voice professor Nicole Franklin’s students, will begin at 5 p.m. in the PAC Recital Hall.
The program will include solos, duets and trios of a wide range of music, from pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn to more contemporary composers such as Giancarlo Menotti and Richard Hundley.
Student vocalists, ranging from freshmen to seniors, performing in the recital include Kelli Amick, Emily Eisterhold, Libbie Roberts, Lori Lemon, Hever Penado, Courtney Wagner, Kayla Hamilton, Shawn Kilpatrick, April Divin, Preston Andrews, Sierah Ayala, Rachel Pitman, Mariah Gutierrez, John Jermian, Caroline Obkirchner, Nicole Wallace, Laura Klein and Austin Hunt.
“I am very honored to work with such talented young singers,” Franklin said. “They will perform in a variety of languages, including English, Italian, German and French, and styles.”
Admission is free.
Also that evening, the SHSU Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band will “take two” at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Concert Hall.
The “Battle of the Big Bands” fall jazz concert will alternate the two groups as they perform such songs as Benjamin Hanby’s “Up on the Housetop,” Clif Jones’s “Takin’ My Time,” Lou Marini’s “Alone,” Bret Spainhour’s “Two Steps Forward,” and Brad Turner’s “Hey, That’s My Bike.”
Tickets are $17 for general admission and $14 for senior citizens and SHSU students. They can be purchased or reserved in advance by contacting the PAC Box Office at 936.294.2339 or tickets@shsu.edu.
Finally, a recital featuring School of Music faculty members Javier Pinell, Sergio Ruiz and John Lane, as well as the SHSU Percussion Ensemble, will be held on Monday (Nov. 21).
The performance, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Recital Hall, will include masterworks by Beethoven and Ravel, and a unique concerto for violin by American composer Lou Harrison, according to Pinell, faculty violinist.
“This vibrant piece was written for violin and unconventional percussion instruments including coffee cans, flower pots, and clock coils, among other objects, thus creating a unique combination of sounds,” he said. “The piece has Balinese folk-influences and is written using classical compositional techniques.”
Admission is free.
For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.
Poli Sci Prof Recognized For Research
Research by Lauren Edwards, assistant professor of political science, and two other scholars was recently recognized as the best paper on public management or leadership during the Public Management Research Conference in Syracuse, N.Y.
The paper, "The Impact of Strategy Content and Development on Performance in Public Transit Agencies," co-authored with Theodore H. Poister and Obed Pasha, was recognized with the Howard G. and S. Louise Phanstiel Award, which carries with it a $2,000 prize, by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University’s department of public administration.
“PMRA focuses specifically on public sector management so it is very humbling to get an award from my specific community of research,” Edwards said. “It is the only award given out by the conference committee.”
SHSU political science department chair Rhonda Callaway added that the award decision was made unanimously by the panel of judges that included Ed Jennings, from the University of Kentucky; David Andersen, from the State University of New York-Albany; and Rosemary O'Leary, from Syracuse’s Maxwell School.
"The Impact of Strategy Content and Development on Performance in Public Transit Agencies" argues that “management matters” in public sector organizations.
“More specifically, my co-authors and I looked at different strategies and whether or not they improved performance in public transit agencies,” she said. “We found that for some types of performance, certain strategies do improve performance-related outcomes.”
Edwards said finding ways for public and nonprofit organizations to improve their performance and serve the public more effectively has long been an interest of hers.
“This interest began during my first ‘real’ job out of college where I worked in a public organization and realized that how well an organization is managed has real impacts for their consumers and the public in general,” she said.
Edwards joined the SHSU faculty in 2011.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University, her master’s degree from the University of North Texas, and her doctorate through a joint program offered by Georgia State and Georgia Tech universities.
Council Walks, Raises Funds For Autism
Fifty-three members and friends of the Sam Houston Council for Exceptional Children participated in the 8th Annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks event.
“This is the second year that the SHCEC chapter participated in the event and raised more than $1,000,” said Cynthia Simpson, SHCEC faculty co-adviser. “The primary mission of SHCEC is to actively support individuals with disabilities and their families. Through service activities and community involvement such as the Walk Now for Autism event, SHCEC has exemplified this mission."
Not only do the officers and members support the mission of the organization but also clearly reflect SHSU’s motto, “The measure of Life is its Service,” by participating in many activities that advocate for children and adults with disabilities, Simpson added.
Walk Now for Autism is the Autism Speaks signature fundraising event, which brings hundreds of thousands of participants annually across the United States and Canada to generate funds for autism research and to raise awareness of the increasing prevalence of autism.
The SHCEC team captain, Courtney Cordova, who is a past-president and historian, organized the Sam Houston team.
Participants who walked in the Walk Now for Autism event will be recognized at an annual conference hosted by the SHCEC next semester.
Submit Update Items Here
In order to assist members of the Sam Houston State University community in publicizing events, the SHSU Communications Office (Today@Sam) is now requesting that students, faculty and staff submit information about events, accomplishments or ideas for feature stories online.
Submission criteria and guidelines, including deadlines, have now been placed online, at /guidelines.html. This information is also accessible through the “Submissions” link in the right-hand navigation on Today@Sam.
From there, those submitting ideas can access forms that will allow them to provide detailed information about their idea, as well as attach event calendars, vitas/resumes or photos, depending on the type of submission.
Ideas submitted to the SHSU Communications Office are directly utilized in several ways: as news stories, “slider” or SHSU home page stories, hometown releases, and on the Today@Sam calendar.
If your submission qualifies for distribution, we will either contact you for more detailed information, or we will edit the information using SHSU/journalistic style and forward the final release to the appropriate media.
All information is verified before release, so please provide complete, accurate and timely information. Please type all responses in appropriate upper and lower cases.
For more information, contact the Communications Office at 936.294.1836 or today@sam.edu.
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SHSU Media Contacts: Julia May, Jennifer Gauntt
Nov. 11, 2011
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu
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Assistant Director: Julia May
Writer: Jennifer Gauntt
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Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.
